


Nagini

by moonstruckfool



Series: Inktober [1]
Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-01
Updated: 2018-10-01
Packaged: 2019-09-17 12:45:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16974810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonstruckfool/pseuds/moonstruckfool
Summary: This was loosely based on the first prompt of Inktober, Poisonous.





	Nagini

"I won't hurt you."

Slowly and carefully, he stretched out an arm. 

The great snake immediately reared up at him, hissing and spitting. Taken by surprise (soft, gentle reassurance and slow movement usually calmed a beast), he stumbled back a few paces, putting himself temporarily out of reach from the huge, snapping fangs. 

"I'm sorry. You don't like that?"

He cast around wildly for some way to placate the animal. No - not an animal. He found it hard to believe, but Credence would not lie to him. Not an animal; the beast in front of him was a person, a young woman, cursed by her own blood. He prayed silently that this was not her final transformation; it was much easier to transport a person than a beast. Could he somehow get her to return to her human form? He had no idea if she could transform on demand, but if she could, her captors had probably done something to keep her like this, if the rumour that they were keeping her for her venom was to be trusted. 

Well, she obviously didn't like the idea of being touched. This was understandable. The deep, festering welts on her body, tough, scaly skin sliced open, were testament to the abuse she had endured while she was kept here. The only times she had been touched would probably have been by a whip travelling at nearly a thousand miles per hour. The absolute bastards! He had no shortage of experience in handling beasts who had been abused and seen his share of stomach-turning injuries, but the heartache of seeing a beast in such pain had never lost its sting. 

"Okay, I'll stay here. I promise I won't touch you." He backed away a bit more to show that he could be held at his word. "Your friend, Credence, sent me. I'm here to help you." 

The snake lifted her head and looked at him with black, beady eyes. Could she understand him? He had absolutely no idea. This was a species he had never encountered before and thus knew nothing about. It was a pity that Credence could not have given him more information. 

"I'll put my case here, alright? Could you get into it for me? You'll be safe inside." 

He poked his head out of the room cautiously and looked down the hallway. There was still time; no one had come yet. He set his case on the floor and opened it. The snake appeared to study it doubtfully. 

"It's much bigger down there. I can fit in it. Come on, I'll show you." He climbed into the case, his upper body still aboveground, and turned to face her. "See?"

She appeared to decide that he could be trusted. She slid gingerly forward, trying to keep her injuries from touching the floor. He stepped out of the case to let her pass and then closed it quickly. Immediately, a cacophony of noises came from the case.

"Shh!" he whispered desperately. Sighing, he opened the case. "I know there's not a lot of room down there, but I haven't the time to expand it. Could you try to make space for our guest, and please be gentle with her? I have to get you all out of here." The beasts quietened down reluctantly, and he closed the latches and picked up the case. Footsteps were already echoing in the corridor. Two men, from the sound of it, and he groaned inwardly. He placed himself behind the door, hoping that they would pass without noticing them. 

To his dismay, the door opened. He whipped out his wand quickly and Stunned them as quietly as he could, breaking their falls with his shoulder and case so that the thud of bodies against wood would not alert the other occupants of the house to his presence. 

He laid them on the ground, tying them up with a hushed whisper of  'Incarcerous!'  for good measure, and then fled the room, his coat swishing behind him as he hurried to safety. 


End file.
